Automatic gate latch



C. M. HUNTER ET AL Oct. 16, 1951 AUTOMATIC GATE LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9. 1949 INVENTOR TMml Vz'nga a-MHunZar Oct. 16, 1951' M, HUNTER T AL 2,571,452

AUTOMATIC GATE LATCH Filed March 9, 1949 m NR m w MN K mw h L. ul 1 hv LT mN Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,571,452 AUTOMATIC GATE LATCH Application March 9, 1949., Serial No. 80,508

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a door operating means and is an improvement over the structure embodied in my prior Patent 1,388,681, issued August 23, 1921, for automatic trap doors.

An object of this invention is to provide a means-whereby a door or gate such as a mine door may be automatically moved to open and closed position by the approach and passage of a car.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved operator which is so constructed that the door will be automatically moved to a closed position at the time the last or trailing car passes the door opening.

Another object of this invention is to provide an operating means of this kind which will open and close the door upon movement of a car in either direction.

With the above and other objects in view, our invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a plan view, partly in section, of a door operating means constructed according to an embodiment'of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the device,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line l4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation on an enlarged scale, showing the door operating lever,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 'I--'I of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is a detail front elevation of the structure shown in Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral ID designates generally a pair of rails over which mine cars are adapted to move, and the numeral I I designates a door or gate which is hinged as at I2 on a vertical support or post I3 disposed at one side of the tracks ID. The door or gate I I is so mounted that it will gravitatingly swing toward closed position. This may also be accomplished, by providing a conventional door closing spring not shown for swinging the door to a normally closed position.

The post I3 has rockably mounted thereon an elongated lever I4 which is mounted between the ends thereof on a pivot I5 carried by the post l3. The lever I4 is connected to the door or gate II by means of a link I6 which is connected between the upper end of the lever I4 and the outer end of a longitudinally curved arm or bracket I! which is fixed to the door or gate II. The lever I4. is adapted to be rocked to door opening position by means of a crank arm I6 carried by a shaft I9 which is journalled in bearings 29 fixed to one of the cross ties 2I.

The crank arm I6 is connected between the lower end of the lever It by means of a cable or flexible member 22. The shaft I9 has fixed thereon in a position between the rails I 0, an upwardly projecting arm or operator 23 which is disposed in a position to contact with the axle or other portion of the car moving over the tracks Ill. The or operator 23 is designed to be engaged by carsmoving to the right, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, and in order to provide for rocking of lever I4 by cars moving to the left, I have provided a second crank arm 24 disposed on the opposite side from the gate or door I I, which is mounted on a shaft 25 j-ournalled in bearings 26 secured to adjacent cross ties 2|. The crank arm 24 has connected thereto-one end of a flexible cable 21 which is connected at the opposite end thereof, as at 28, to the lever I4 above the pivot I 5, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The shaft25 has fixed thereto an upstanding operator 29 positioned substantially midway between the rails ID for contact with an axle or other projecting part of a car which is moving over the rails III.

In order to provide for holding of the door or gate II in an open position, I have provided an upstanding post 30 which has rockably mounted on the upper end thereof a latch 3I engageablewith a keeper 32, which is mounted on the upper portion of the door or gate I I. The latch 3| includes a shaft 33 journaled in a bearin 34 mounted on the upper end of the post 30, and a crank arm 35 projects right angularly from the shaft 33.

An upright latch releasing crank arm 36 is mounted on the outer end of a shaft 31 journalled in bearings 38 fixed to cross ties 2| in a position forwardly from the shaft I9 a suflicient distance that when the car moving to the left, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, engages the upstanding releasing arm 39 which is fixed to the inner end of the shaft 31, crank arm 36 will be rocked counter-clockwise. Crank arm 36 is connected to crank 35 by means of a cable 40 which is trained about an idler pulley 4| carried by the lower portion of the post 36.

The latch 3|, as shown in Figure 8, is urged to latching position by means of a spring 42. In

order to provide for release of the door or gate II for movement to closed position when a car is moving to the right, I have provided a second releasing crank 43 mounted on a shaft 44 positioned in spaced relation to shaft 25. Shaft 44 is journalled in bearin s 45 which are secured to adjacent cross ties 2i and the inner end of shaft 44 has fixed thereto an upstanding arm 46 adapted to be engaged by an axle or other portion of the leading car so that crank arm 43 will be rocked clockwise to gate or door releasing position. Crank arm 43 is connected with the crank 35 by means of a flexible cable 4'! which is trained about the lower idler pulley 48 carried by the post 30.

In the use and operation of this device, assuming that a car or a series of cars are moving to the right over the rails I0, the leading car will strike the gate operating member 23 thereby rocking crank arm I8 clockwise and rocking door opening lever l4 clockwise. The door or gate II will thereby be swung counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 1, and will engage latch 3| and will be held in open position thereby. It is, of course, obvious that the releasing crank 36 with the operator 39 which is positioned a substantial distance ahead of operator 23 will first be rocked clockwise but this clockwise rocking of crank 36 will only relax cable 40. It will be understood that the shafts 31 and 44 are rocked to set position by means of springs 49. When the leading car passes through the opening, and past the door or gate H, gate operator 2!! will be engaged and will be rocked clockwise but lever II will be inoperative due to the fact that cable 21 will only be relaxed. When the leading car engages the releasing member 46, the trailing car will be moved through the gate opening and arm 46 will be rocked clockwise thereby pulling latch 3| upwardly to released position. Gate or door I I will thereupon move to a closed position across the tracks or rails l0.

It is to be understood that the invention herein disclosed applies not only to mine doors but also to farm gates, garage doors, outdoor theatre entrances and all other locations and constructions wherein it is desired to automatically open 4 and close a door or gate by the approach and passage of a vehicle.

We do not mean to confine ourselves to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claim.

What we claim is:

In a latch release mechanism for a vertically disposed hinged swinging door, a latch post positioned at the extremity of the path of movement of said door in open position, a latch at the top of said post engageable with said door; a crank arm pivotally mounted on said post and connected to said latch, a pair of pulley members attached to said post adjacent its base, a pair of flexible members secured to said crank arm; one extending about each pulley and in opposite directions, an additional crank arm pivotally mounted at ground level on each side of said latch post and at a substantial distance therefrom, one of said flexible members extending to each crank arm and spring means normally biasing said crank arms to vertical position, whereby depression of either of said last mentioned crank arms by a vehicle passing thereover will act through its associated flexible member to release said latch.

CLAUD M. HUNTER. WILLIAM WILSON WINGO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 46,920 Martin Mar. 21, 1865 126,958 Helm May 21, 1872 741,167 Robinson Oct. 13, 1903 888,537 Seiser May 26, 1908 1,388,681 Wingo Aug. 23, 1921 1,725,354 Jasbring Aug. 20, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,181 Australia July 31, 1936 

